Brussels Sprouts Almondine

I love Brussels Sprouts! They are not only interesting in flavor as well as texture, but they are quite nutritious as well, featuring some serious health benefits along the way. They are high in  vitamins/minerals such as K and C. Their high fiber content can help maintain blood sugar levels, and their high level of antioxidants can help to neutralize the free radicals that can promote inflammation. This tasty side dish also features almonds, providing even more healthy nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 20-24 fresh Brussels Sprouts
• 2 tbsp (heaping) sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt to taste

Preparation:

Cut off the bottom of each sprout and remove the very outer layer of leaves. Boil the sprouts in water for about 6 minutes or until just tender. You want them firm as they will get seared later on. Once cooked, drain and set aside on a plate to cool.

Place the almonds in a small pan over medium heat. Using two spatulas, toss them frequently as they brown. Once you achieve the color you like, remove them from heat and transfer to a cold dish so they don't continue to brown.

Heat a large skillet on medium high and add the olive oil. While the pan is warming,

cut the cooled sprouts in half and then add them to the pan cut side down.

Check the sprouts frequently and when the undersides are browned

to your liking, add some kosher salt and the roasted almonds.

Toss to blend flavors and serve with your choice of protein.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Black Beans & Barley... Revisited :-)

The Slow Cooker Black Beans & Barley recipe yielded quite a bit more than anticipated so I decided to play a little. It turns out the mix makes for a delightfully earthy breakfast patty or lunch. Sorry, folks, but we just left vegetarian territory. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• leftover Black Bean & Barley mix - cold
• light oil of choice for frying
• 1-3 eggs
• 1-2 cups seasoned Panko
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning - optional

Preparation:

Set up the egg dip and Panko and heat oil in a non-stick skillet.

Shape enough patties to feed everyone.

Dredge through egg and Panko and fry until golden brown on each side.

Enjoy solo or slice up your favorite fruits to accompany these beauties.

I never like anything to go to waste, so the second option after breaded patties is to mix remaining egg and Panko with some more bean/barley mix. Add some scallions or whatever you think will elevate the mix... maybe some minced bell pepper... and fry over medium high heat basically to add a bit of a crisp to the formed patties. 

A bit of grated Parmesan gave mine a little extra zing. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Red Meat Sauce Breakfast

Okay, okay... I know what you're thinking.... this guy's crazy, right? Red meat sauce for breakfast? Well, get used to it LOL I simply adore incorporating dinner food in my breakfast menus. It's just who I am, and from a nutritional standpoint, it's spot-on :-)

Ingredients:

· Leftover red meat sauce

· 2 eggs

· dash of salt for the eggs

Preparation:

Beat the eggs with a dash of salt and fry into a 7 - 8" smooth patty, depending on what size pan you own. Warm up your leftover meat sauce in a separate pan. Place egg patty on plate and spoon meat sauce on top, leaving the edge of the eggs showing for presentation.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chicken & Mushroom Madeira - A Chef Favorite

You know how much I love the ease of a one pot meal. Well, this one may seem really simple but it packs a whole boatload of flavor! Chicken and mushrooms with wine... How can you go wrong? 😊 

Ingredients:

• ~2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into stew size chunks
• ~2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion cut up, like bite-size
• 16 oz baby portobello mushrooms, halved or quartered depending on size
• 1 bunch scallions - 4-6 stalks - cut in 3/8 - 1/2" sections
• 1 cup Madeira wine (Marsala works well also and is a lot cheaper)
• 2 10.5 oz cans unsalted condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 tsp table salt for dish
• fresh ground black pepper to taste – I do 6 twists on my pepper mill
• chicken broth, white wine or more Madeira for thinning if needed

Preparation:

In large skillet or Dutch oven heat one tbsp of olive oil, sear chicken pieces and set aside.

Cut up onions, mushrooms and scallions and lightly saute in same Dutch oven with another 1-2 tbsp olive oil.

Add Madeira, blend and bring to a simmer. Add cream of mushroom and again bring to a simmer and blend.

Season with 1+ tsp table salt fresh ground black pepper to taste. Add chicken back into the pot and simmer for about 60 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles or pearl barley with a green veggie side.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

 This soup is adapted from a recipe found in ATK's Slow Cooker Revolution.

Ham Hocks, ham steak, a little heat and some lemon juice are what sets this split pea soup apart. I use multiple ham hocks because there's just not enough meat on them to satisfy me. The ham steak is great, but I prefer the mouth feel of the shredded pork. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 yellow onions - minced
• 4-5 cloves garlic - smash minced
• olive oil as needed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 16 oz green split peas - check for stones etc - rinse
• 4 carrots - peeled and cut into 1/2" slices
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-3 ham hocks - whatever you can fit in your slow cooker
• 8 oz ham steak - cut into 14" - 1/2" pieces
• 1+ tbsp lemon juice - at the end - taste as you add
• salt & pepper as needed

Preparation:

Place onions, garlic, olive oil, thyme and Aleppo pepper in a glass bowl and microwave on high for five minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add broth, water, split peas, carrots and bay leaves and give a light stir. Nestle the ham hocks into the mix, making sure they are submerged. Cook for 7-8 hours on low until you see the peas have broken up.

Remove the ham hocks and the bay leaves. After the hocks have cooled enough to handle, separate the meat from skin, fat and bones and shred. Cut up the ham steak and set both aside. Use a stick blender on the soup until it is creamy and uniform in color. You can adjust seasoning at this time if needed.

Stir in the two meats and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Finally stir in the lemon juice to taste and make final seasoning adjustments if needed. 

Serve with homemade biscuits or warmed Italian bread.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!